Boston College Season in Review

By Matt OsborneSouthernPigskin.com

Summary – Not much was expected out of the Eagles following a 7-6 campaign in Steve Addazio’s first season in Chestnut Hill, as Boston College was projected to finish sixth in the Atlantic Division back at ACC Media Days in July. Taking on the personality of its fiery head coach, though, Boston College would go on to duplicate 2013’s win total, thanks to a dominant performance in the trenches on both sides of the football. The Eagles remained extremely competitive in almost every contest, and could have finished with an even better record if not for losing four games by four points or less. Boston College ultimately finished in fourth in the Atlantic Division, earning a bid to the Pinstripe Bowl, where they would lose 31-30 to Penn State in overtime.

Biggest Surprise – With Boston College coming off of a 10-point loss to Pittsburgh and No. 9 USC coming off of a road win over Stanford, nobody expected the Eagles to give the Trojans much of a contest back in mid-September. After falling behind 10-0 early, the Eagles would dominate the action the remainder of the contest on their way to a shocking 37-31 victory. Boston College rushed for an astonishing 452 yards, while holding the Trojans to just 20 rushing yards on 29 attempts.

Biggest Disappointment – Playing against the two preeminent powers in the Atlantic Division, Clemson and Florida State, the Eagles came perilously close to pulling off major upsets, losing both contests by less than four points. While the win over USC was huge, it would have meant a lot more to Boston College to be able to pick up a signature win against an elite divisional foe. The team has competed well against premier conference competition the last two seasons, but is still looking to finally pull off that elusive upset.

Stat of the Year – The Eagles finished second nationally in rushing defense, giving up a mere 94.46 yards per contest on the ground. Boston College finished 57th in the category in 2013.

Matt Osborne - Matt Osborne currently serves as the director of recruiting and lead editor for Southern Pigskin. His work has been published in a number of national publications, including USA Today. Although he loves all levels of football, Matt's number one joy in his life is his relationship with Jesus Christ. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattOsborne200. For media requests, please email Matt at matt@southernpigskin.com.